Overview

Emmaline lives in a very tidy town, but Emmaline is not tidy. Emmaline likes to hop, hop, hop and holler, “Hoopalala!” And, more than anything, Emmaline wants a bunny.

Orson Oliphant is mayor of the town. He is very tidy. Orson Oliphant does not like hopping and hollering. And, more than anything, Orson Oliphant does not like animals. He has banished them all, including bunnies.

But there is still one special, secret place in town where animals can hop and fly and be free—a place where there is a bunny.

Is there a way for Emmaline to have a bunny of her own?

Written and illustrated in full color by Katherine Hannigan—the best-selling author of Ida B—Emmaline and the Bunny is a celebration of ingenuity . . . and untidiness.

Hannigan follows Ida B., her critically acclaimed debut, with this environmental fable, which she has illustrated with tender watercolor art that often displays deft touches of humor. Lonely Emmaline wants a bunny "most mostly" (one picture shows her watching a bunny on TV, its legs lining up with the set's, its ears with the antennae). But messy pets are prohibited in her town, Neatasapin, where ornery Mayor Orson Oliphant has outlawed dirt, weeds and puddles. She follows a wild bunny into the underbrush where she learns that in order to keep the rabbit in her company, she must make her world more inviting to wild creatures, i.e., messier. The resulting unruliness of her yard riles the mayor, but brings about his overturn. The green message is kid-empowering; the prose style-which favors verb constructions like "scoot-skedaddling" and "scimper-scampering," and exclamations like "dungleberrydoo," and "hoopalala!"-will divide the audience, who will find it charming or twee. Still, the text, art and compact trim size add up to an overall package that young animal lovers will likely find irresistible. Ages 7-12. (Mar.)

The unique voice of Emmaline is introduced in this second novel from the author of the acclaimed Ida B. Emmaline is a young and exuberant girl who has the misfortune to live in the town of Neatasapin where everything messy is forbidden by its tyrannical mayor. Outlawed, among other things, are jelly doughnuts, spaghetti, skateboarding, puddle jumping, mud pies, trees, weeds, and songbirds. Everyone is expected to be quiet and tidy. Emmaline, unfortunately, is most untidy and certainly not quiet. She likes to dig holes, puddle jump, scoot-skedaddle under shrubs and shout "hoopalala" and "dinglederrydee" when she is happy. She also longs for a bunny, although animals are definitely not allowed in the town. Her adventures begin when she discovers the world of Untidy and meets up with Bunny, whom she is determined to have come live with her. With some help from her parents, who help rid Neatasapin of its nasty Mayor, Emmaline finds a way to attract not only Bunny, but other wildlife back to the rejuvenated and newly lush town. Adding to the delight of this story is Hannigan's deft use of languageincluding repetition, onomatopoeia, and rhyme. She also cleverly combines words to create striking images. For example, there is the description of a meadow as "warm golden" and Emmaline as "cold-shivery" after sitting in the shade. All the wonderful sound makes it a good candidate for a classroom read-aloud. A plea for beautiful green space can be read into the book, although Hannigan never explicitly states her environmental concern. There is some question as to whether Emmaline's discovery of Untidy and her encounter with Bunny is a dream or not. This ambiguity adds to the charm ofthis highly imaginative story. Delicate, full-color drawings by the author are found throughout the book. Reviewer: Margaret Orto

Kirkus Reviews

If you lived on Shipshape Street in a town called Neatasapin, you might want a very untidy bunny for a pet too. A bunny is what Emmaline wants, and she wants it "most mostly." Mayor Orson Oliphant, however, has banned all potential mess-makers, including bunnies, spaghetti, jelly doughnuts and even trees (he calls them "leaf litterers"). He would banish the puddle-splashing, dirt-digging, "scoot-skedaddling" Emmaline if he could get away with it. When Emmaline's hankering for a furry friend becomes downright painful, her parents finally agree to defy the mayor, un-pave their yard and create a suitably lush habitat to lure their daughter's longed-for bunny from the wilds of nearby Untidy. With playful, alliterative, fun-to-read-aloud language ("Whackadoodlewhipperpoo," for example) and its fantastical storyline, this winning, 32-chapter novelette recalls the magical whimsy of Roald Dahl. The author's winsome watercolors lend an ethereal quality to this sweet, funny story that respectfully maps the warrens of a child's psyche as it celebrates the glorious mess that is nature. (Fiction. 7-10)

Related Subjects

Meet the Author

Katherine Hannigan studied mathematics, painting, and studio art and has worked as the education coordinator for a Head Start program and, most recently, as an assistant professor of art and design. She is the author of True (. . . Sort Of), Emmaline and the Bunny, and the national bestseller Ida B . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World. She lives in Iowa with a bunch of cats and the occasional bunny or bird visitor. Her backyard hosts an additional array of creatures, including deer, raccoons, possums, and sometimes a skunk. But no alligators . . . yet!

Katherine Hannigan studied mathematics, painting, and studio art and has worked as the education coordinator for a Head Start program and, most recently, as an assistant professor of art and design. She is the author of True (. . . Sort Of), Emmaline and the Bunny, and the national bestseller Ida B . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World. She lives in Iowa with a bunch of cats and the occasional bunny or bird visitor. Her backyard hosts an additional array of creatures, including deer, raccoons, possums, and sometimes a skunk. But no alligators . . . yet!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Beautiful, sweet, whimsical book. Well-written, flowing language, with a poetic feel. Read this with my 9 y.o., who loves bunnies and all wildlife.... We both fell in love with it. It takes you through a range of emotions and tugs at your heart strings. We highly recommend it :)